


You're My Favorite Thing - A Joike Collection

by GentleHum



Category: Mystery Science Theater 3000
Genre: Alternate Universe, Joike, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-20
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-04 16:00:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12774471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GentleHum/pseuds/GentleHum
Summary: Short little stories featuring my two favorite Gay Space Dads, Joel and Mike. Where my Normal Views series features the entire Nelson-Robinson household and raising a rambunctious robot family, this series focuses on moments in Joel and Mike's relationship and their feelings for each other. Not all of these are going to be light-hearted and fun, but they are honest.





	1. Lovely and Decent Throw Pillows

**Author's Note:**

> My standard disclaimer that these stories feature the characters of Joel Robinson and Mike Nelson and in no way, shape, or form are meant to represent the actual persons of Joel Hodgson and Mike Nelson, who I hope for their sakes are nothing like I write them.
> 
> Thank you to Tumblr user FontOnAScreen, who invented the Gay Space Dads universe.

Mike came down the basement stairs to find Joel tinkering with some gizmo full of wires.

“Hi.”

“Oh, hey honey, I didn’t hear you come in. How was work?” Joel gave Mike a peck on the cheek.

“Work was work. Another boring day. Didn’t really get interesting until I pulled into the driveway.”

“Did Tom and Crow leave their pogo sticks in the driveway again? I warned them about that yesterday.”

“Honey, would you have any idea why Mrs. Soderstrom threw a zucchini at me when I got out of my car?” Mike asked.

Joel bent down low over his workbench, but Mike could still see the smile forming at the corners of his lips.

“She was yelling something about ‘filthy-minded perverts’ and ‘decent people eat vegetables, not commit horrible acts with them’. I got into the house before she could finish.”

Joel started to giggle. Mike was a bit taken aback. Joel wasn’t a giggler.

“So…why was I nearly beaned in the gourd with a squash?”

“Today is National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day. I heard it on NPR this morning,” Joel straightened, a sly smile across his usually placid face. “So I thought I’d share some largess with Mrs. Soderstrom.”

“We don’t have a garden. Are you telling me you went to the store just to buy a zucchini?”

“Of course not! I bought two rather round and wrinkly avocados, too. To up the presentation value.”

Mike puzzled for a second, then he too broke into a grin. “You didn’t.”

“I did. Right in front of the door, on that lovely scriptural doormat of hers. Then I rang the bell and ran.” Joel was giggling like a schoolgirl. “Serves her right for all those damn Chick Tracts she sticks under the wipers or inside the paper.”

Mike chuckled. “Maybe I should go back out and ask her to throw the avocados too. We could make some guacamole…”


	2. Pretty Fry for a White Guy

“Wanna fffry?”

Joel glanced over at Mike in the passenger seat, with two french fries drooping from his mouth like walrus tusks.

“I prefer unused,” Joel answered drily as he reached for the carton in Mike’s left hand, only to be swatted away. Mike chewed and swallowed, then held up another fry.

“Nope. Shoulda ordered your own. My way or no fry way. Dare you.” Mike let the new fry stick halfway out of his mouth.

Joel looked at him over top his glasses. “Fine. Your way,” and darted in, only to have Mike pull the fry into his mouth, then flash a victory smile.

“You’re not playing fair,” Joel complained.

“Nope, I’m not,” Mike cheerily agreed. “One more chance?” He grabbed another fry. “I’ll hold still this time.”

“Why do I feel like a muskie in Lake Mille Lacs?” Joel asked rhetorically. He eyed Mike, who was managing to almost keep a straight face with a french fry sticking out of his mouth. This time he went slowly, until his lips touched the fry, then lunged for it, but Mike was too quick, pulling the fry in again. Joel’s lips smashed against Mike’s for a second before he pulled back and adjusted his glasses.

“You know, if you want a kiss, you just have to ask for one, instead of playing Go Fish.”

“This is more fun. But I do want a kiss.”

“Not with mashed french fry bits in your mouth.”

Mike took a big sip of his Coke. “Better now?”

Joel side-eyed him. “I’ll take it,” he agreed, and leaned over to exchange a slow, tender kiss with his partner that became a little more passionate than either of them expected before they broke away, short of breath.

“How was that?” Joel asked slyly.

“Good enough to make me regret that you ordered the onion rings.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by thisTumblr OTPPrompts cue: _A has a fry in their mouth and dares B to steal it from them. B moves in, A psychs them out by pulling the fry in a little. B tries again and A puts the whole fry in their mouth, making B kiss them._


	3. Que Sera Sera

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The premise: Mike's mother has died, and the family has returned home from her funeral.

After they got the ‘bots settled in their beds, Mike and Joel retired to their own. Predictably, neither one could find any rest, and after pretending for the better part of an hour, Mike reached over and switched on his lamp.

“Honey?”

Joel reached out and turned his light on as well. “Yes?” He turned over on his side toward Mike and put a hand on the other man’s shoulder.

Mike didn’t say anything, but instead rolled over into Joel’s arms, scooting down on the bed so that his head lay on Joel’s chest. The older man didn’t say a word, just held Mike tight as his body shook with silent sobs. This was a pain he couldn’t take away, no matter how much he wished to. Joel grabbed a handful of tissues from the nightstand and gently pushed them into Mike’s hand, and rubbed slow circles on his back over and over again. After a few minutes, Joel grabbed another tissue for himself.

Some unknown time later, Mike rolled away and wiped the moisture from his face. He stared sightlessly at the ceiling, but groped for Joel’s hand and, finding it, held on tightly. After a few more minutes, he cleared his throat.

“Joel?”

“Yes, dear?”

“Have you…did you ever…” Mike fell silent for another minute as Joel waited patiently. “Who’s going to take care of Tom and Crow after we’re gone?”

“You don’t think they’re going to be able to live on their own?” Joel asked carefully.

Mike snorted wetly. “In the past decade, they’ve matured from seven-year-olds to ten-year-olds, and that’s on their good days. They could probably function on their own, but they’d create chaos wherever they’d go. And who knows who might be out there wanting to use them – the government, terrorists, some new generation of Mad Scientists – I want them to be safe, Joel. I want them to be loved.”

“So do I.” It was Joel’s turn to be silent as he thought. “Gypsy and I talked about it a few years back. She’ll take them in to live with her, Cambot too. She’ll be around as long as they will. I should have talked it over with you then but-” Joel sighed. “I guess I’m just too much of a coward to bring stuff like that up. Kinda like if you don’t think about it, it won’t happen.”

“Death does happen. But knowing on an intellectual level doesn’t make the emotions any easier. Found that out this week, didn’t I?” Joel could see the tears welling in Mike’s eyes again and his heart ached for their shared human frailty.

“I’ve also been working on something else here and there. A new AI for another robot someday,” Joel said.

“You’re not thinking about building another robot, are you? I don’t think I can handle an unexpected pregnancy at our age!”

Joel smiled at Mike. “No, nothing like that. Maybe not even a robot. Something like a parent AI that Tom and Crow can ask for advice. Kinda like Jor-el in the Christopher Reeve Superman movie, in the Fortress of Solitude. An AI that would have the best of you and me programmed into it, that the 'bots could talk to and interact with, that would always be there for them. Between that and Gypsy, they should be okay.”

Mike lay silent again. Joel, wandering in his own thoughts about the AI, was slightly startled when he spoke.

“You’re brilliant,” Mike said simply. “I love the idea. I only wish I could help you.”

“When it’s time, you will. I’ll need to set up a neural patch. I’m still working on how to analyze our brainwaves in order to transfer our memories into -”

“Stop. You know I don’t understand any of this stuff. I trust you.” Mike squeezed Joel’s hand again. “You’ll figure it out. Obviously you’ve been planning for a while.”

“I’ve been thinking about…” Joel hesitated, then motioned widely with his free hand, “this, all of this for a long time, almost since the day I built them. I know I’ve said this before, but I was so relieved when I found out they weren’t alone on the Satellite. I…it nearly broke me to think they didn’t have anyone. And then when I saw how good you were with them, how much you cared about them, too…”

“You only love me because I love the 'bots, is that it?” Mike softly chuckled, wiping his reddened eyes again.

“It helped. I honestly don’t think I would have fallen in love with you if you didn’t.” Joel looked straight into his partner’s ocean blue eyes.

“You built some pretty amazing children for us, Mr. Robinson,” Mike said, looking straight back.

“And you make a damn good father, Mr. Nelson.” Joel leaned over and softly kissed Mike.


	4. 'Til Death Do Us Part

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a dark place at a dark time, Joel and Mike contemplate one possible not-too-distant future.

“Turn it off,” Mike sighed, as soon as the speech began. Joel complied, then sighed in turn.

“And so it begins,” Joel observed, taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes.

“Yeah.”

The silence hung heavy in the house. The ‘bots were at school, Cambot off doing their own thing. It was quiet save for the rumble of the furnace.

“What are we going to do?” Joel asked finally.

“We endure. We speak up when we can, we support those who need us, and we try to make life as good as possible. Especially for the boys.”

“What if-”

“They’re not going to come after us. Not yet. I don’t think.” Mike put his arm around his husband’s shoulders. “And remember, we’re lucky. We have Gypsy. We have someplace to go if it gets that bad, and you’ve made sure all our papers and passports are up to date and safe. We’ll be OK.”

“You’re right. But…it’s more than just us. It’s our friends, all the people like us – what will they do?”

Mike looked down. “I don’t know. But sometimes you have to stand up and fight. And sometimes…sometimes you just have to do what you have to do to protect the ones you love.”

“Mike…” Joel pulled away and looked at the other man. “If they dissolve our marriage…”

“If they dissolve our marriage we’ll still be married. If they try to take the boys away from us, well, we won’t let them, but they’ll still be our sons. If they try to - do worse, we’ll still be together.” Mike took Joel’s face between his hands. “I will fight to the end of the earth for you, and Tom, and Crow, and Cambot, and Gypsy. We are a family. I love you and I will not bow, I will not break. We are in this together and together we will stay, whether it’s here or anywhere else in the world. Whether we have everything we worked for or nothing we will have each other.”

Joel blinked rapidly, and looked down again, and Mike knew he was trying to hide his tears. He pressed a kiss to the top of his beloved’s head. “We will always have each other.”


End file.
